SpaceX’s next Starship mega-rocket has received permission to fly.
The US Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) on Tuesday (December 17) issued a launch license for SpaceX’s upcoming Starship Flight 7 test flight, paving the way for the company to next launch the world’s largest rocket from South Texas. I opened it. This launch license came after several Starship engine tests by SpaceX to confirm the flight readiness of the Seventh Ship spacecraft and superheavy rocket booster.
“The FAA continues to improve the efficiency of its licensing activities to meet the needs of the commercial space transportation industry,” Kelvin B. Coleman, FAA associate administrator for commercial space transportation, said in a statement. “This license modification we are issuing occurs well in advance of Starship 7’s launch date and is another example of the FAA’s commitment to enabling safe space transportation.”
SpaceX has not yet set a target date for the Flight 7 Starship launch test from its Starbase facility near Boca Chica Beach, but with about two weeks left this year, it could fly in early or mid-January 2025. It may be the highest. Officials in Cameron County, Texas, the area that includes Starbase, have not issued any road closures for the remainder of December. Such road closure notices typically accompany SpaceX’s impending Starship launch test.
As its name suggests, Flight 7 will be the seventh major test launch of SpaceX’s Starship megarocket. The company has conducted a series of short “static combustion” engine tests using the Starship upper stage vehicle and super heavy booster, but has not yet stacked it for flight.
Related: What’s next for SpaceX’s Starship after its sixth successful test flight?
When fully assembled, the 6-engine Starship spacecraft and 33-engine Superheavy booster are nearly complete. At 400 feet (122 meters) tall, it is the tallest and most powerful rocket in the world. In October of this year, SpaceX successfully captured Flight 5’s Super Heavy booster using giant metal “chopsticks” at its Starbase launch pad.
During Flight 6’s test flight in November, SpaceX omitted the booster catch due to a sensor issue, but was able to successfully soft-land the Starship vehicle in the Indian Ocean, capturing an amazing video of its splashdown. Starship Flight 7’s test will include a reenactment of the ship landing at sea, as well as another attempt to capture the Super Heavy booster.
“Flight 7’s mission profile includes the launch of the Starship/Super Heavy composite vehicle from Boca Chica, Texas, the return of the Super Heavy booster rocket to its launch site, a launch tower catch attempt, and Starship’s splashdown in western Australia. operated the vehicle in the Indian Ocean,” FAA officials wrote in the license renewal.
SpaceX designed Starship and Super Heavy to serve as fully reusable heavy-lift systems for launching large payloads into orbit and for trips to the Moon, Mars, and beyond. I did. The company has launched six Starship test flights since April 2023.
NASA is hiring Starship to land Artemis 3 astronauts on the moon in 2027, and SpaceX has already sold at least two Starship flights to private customers, including Including billionaire Jared Isaacman. Isaacman booked the first manned flight on a Starship spacecraft as part of SpaceX’s three-flight Polaris program, which will launch in September of this year and will be the world’s first Civilian spacewalks were included.
Isaacman is also funding SpaceX’s 2021 Inspiration 4 commercial spaceflight and has been nominated by President-elect Donald Trump to be NASA administrator if approved next year.
SpaceX hopes to expand its Starship launch test campaign in 2025, with up to 24 test flights. The company says it will take at least eight Starship launches (possibly more) to fuel one ship and reach the moon, and will require new in-space refueling technology. There is.
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk first unveiled the concept for what would become Starship in 2016. Earlier this year, Musk said SpaceX wants to launch the first Starship to Mars in 2026.
